The establishment of 8 new incubator companies was approved with a grant of NIS 16 million

The Technology Incubator Committee, chaired by the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Eli Ofer, approved at its last meeting 8 new ventures in the fields of life sciences, electronics and machinery, with a total investment amount of NIS 16 million

Below are the approved projects for development in greenhouses:

Medical equipment

Supercatheter - improved catheter for rapid replacement - MTG hothouse, Katzrin

An improved catheter with unique features that allow it to pass through and have exceptional maneuverability, including in narrow and tortuous arteries. The catheter is intended for heart and brain surgery.

CO2 laser device for dental treatment - Target Tech incubator, Netanya

The venture will deal with the development of innovative 2CO laser technology and the development of laser equipment for dental treatments. The new laser device will in most cases allow drilling without the need for anesthesia, will be more effective than the existing dental laser devices on the market, and can be used in preparation for dental implants - a treatment that requires the ability to operate on both hard and soft tissues - a treatment that cannot be performed with the existing laser. The device, which will also replace the mechanical drill in the clinic, will be significantly cheaper than the existing laser devices, and will allow every dentist to be equipped with modern and sophisticated equipment.

Adjustable implant for the spine - Technion incubator, Haifa

Back and lower limb pain is a very common problem in the modern world. In most cases, the pain results from pressure on the nerves in the lower back area, as a result of degenerative changes in the back vertebrae and the intervertebral joint. In the project, an implant will be developed that is a spacer for the spine, intended for implantation between two adjacent vertebrae in the lower spine, in a manner and dimensions that will distance them slightly from each other so that an adequate space is created for the nervous system, thus relieving the pain. What is special about the spacer that will be developed, compared to others, is the ability to change the size of the spacer even after the transplant surgery, by remote control. The device to be developed is aimed at a market valued at approximately 2 billion dollars per year.

Development of an innovative endoscopic device for the diagnosis and treatment of colon diseases - NGT incubator, Nazareth

In the project, an independently moving capsule will be opened in the large intestine and is designed to check and treat diseases that occur on the surface of the large intestine. A self-propelled capsule that is fully controlled by the attending physician and drags an optical system and light source into a surgical canal, the capsule transmits a high-quality image from the intestine while it is operating. The doctor can stop the capsule at any moment and perform the required treatment using the inserted tools. The project is an alternative to all existing colonoscopy solutions. Its advantages (less painful and less discomfort) and the expected attractive price are a source of great optimism among the people who were involved in testing the project.

A system for monitoring and early detection of bladder cancer - Hamma Mashgav, Gush Segav

An implantable wireless system for the detection and monitoring of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is one of the most common in the population, and is a significant problem in both men and women. A factor complicating the disease is the need for regular, continuous and long-term monitoring of the patients, which is due to the high tendency of the lesion to recur after its removal. This follow-up, which is performed once every 3 months, includes performing a cystoscopy, an invasive and painful process for the patient that requires anesthesia, expensive equipment, an operating room and also exposes the patient to significant risks. The proposed surveillance system will offer a simple, cheap and convenient surveillance for the patient and the caregiver and is expected to improve the surveillance and early detection of the disease.

Biotech and Pharma

Medical candy for the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity - Hamma Moft in Yehuda, Kiryat Arba

Sugar-free medical candy for the treatment of oral cavity diseases. In the first phase, the project will provide an elegant solution to a problem from which about a quarter of the world's population suffers - halitosis, as well as treatment for tongue fungi (Candidiasis). The candy contains unique microcapsules that give the candy a combined and double activity - gentle mechanical scratching of the tongue and the release of medical substances into the oral cavity.

electronics

Digital manual signature device - NGT incubator, Nazareth

At the core of the greenhouse project in question is an electronic device connected to the personal computer through a simple USB connection, which allows signing with an electronic pen a document displayed on the device on an LCD display. The file created after the signature is the original file which can be saved on the computer and printed. This way it is possible to verify that the signer actually signs what his eyes see and that his signature is legally acceptable. The product addresses a very broad market where a valid solution to the electronic signature problem that would be admissible in court has not yet been found.

Machines

An innovative air filter for air conditioning and air purification systems - a master greenhouse in Yehuda, Kiryat Arba

An innovative air filter for air conditioning and air purification systems, with prolonged operation (up to 10 years) without the need for maintenance (cleaning and/or replacement). The unique structure of the filter allows for the creation of a low pressure drop that guarantees uniform energy efficiency throughout the entire period of activity regardless of the amount of accumulated dust. These features answer both the need for energy saving and for easy maintenance of air conditioning and air purification systems. The company expects to reach an initial prototype within 12 months.

Rena Pridor, director of the incubator program, stated that in the first half of 2008, the incubator committee approved 48 new entrepreneurs with a grant of NIS 95 million, over 60% of them in the fields of life sciences. Pridor adds that the budget for the greenhouse program in 2008 is NIS 133 million and according to the current rate of requests there is a fear that the budget will be short. Pridor explains that precisely in a year when it is increasingly difficult to raise money in the private market, the incubator program is almost the only option for entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to develop the product and start a new company in Israel, therefore the program must be strengthened and its budget increased so that it does not happen that worthy projects go down the drain because they were not given They have the opportunity they deserve.

Dr. Eli Ofer, the chief scientist, pointed out that many of the leading start-up companies in their field originated in incubators, and without the incubators they would not have arisen. Oper adds that the incubators produce promising companies all the time and that only recently the company ID-U, which develops a biometric eye movement detection solution, was awarded as the outstanding start-up in the IVA conference competition for 2008. Oper explains that the company matured from the Mashgav incubator only recently, in May and the fact that already Winning such a prestigious competition shows the great potential inherent in her.